Day 9 "Natural Bridge"

30 paintings in 30 days

Day 9

8" x 10"

oil on canvas panel

Palette knife

$95

The rock formations in California are very challenging.  Each part of a five mile walk along West Cliff Drive is uniquely different.  I love the thirty day challenge so I can keep practicing the colors of the Pacific Ocean and the sandstone formations of the cliffs and natural bridges.

Day 7 "Through the Mist"

30 paintings in 30 days

Day 7

"Through the Mist"

8" x 10"

oil on canvas panel

$95

buy through www.dailypaintworks.com

I took this photo for my painting from West Cliff also, but on a misty morning. I tried a different palette for this painting.  The green on the cliffs are ice plant.  When the ice plant is in bloom, it is gorgeous.

Day 5 "Pacific Blues"

30 paintings in 30 days

Day 5

"Pacific Blues"

8" x 10"

oil on canvas panel

$95

California Series

Trying out different blues to get the right colors for the ocean.  The far away color is cooler and the water close to the shore which is greener.  The water was very fun to do.

Day 4 "West Cliff"

30 Painting in 30 Days

Day 4

"West Cliff"

oil on canvas panel

8" x 10" 

$95

California series for day 4.  I went to my local art store today, Binders and discuss what color blue is the Pacific Ocean by Santa Cruz.  We discussed French Ultra Marine blue.  I finally picked Indigo Blue and mixed it with Payne's Grey.  Let me know if any West Coast oil painters have any good color suggestions.  With my artists license I took out the fence along the highway by the ocean.  Maybe it looked like this when it was still natural so many years ago.

"Coastal Live Oak"

30 paintings in 30 days

Day 1

Coastal Live Oak

10" x 8"

$95

oil on canvas panel

I am painting along with Leslie Saeta's 30 day challenge.  I have done this challenge in January for three years.  It is exciting to once again be doing this daily challenge.  This month I'm going to paint 30 paintings of my trip to California last month.  Some will be of West Cliff such as this one and succulents in my friend's garden, Los Gatos and who knows what else.  Check each day to see what I paint.

Misty Morn

"Misty Morn"

11" x 14"

oil on canvas

I spent ten days in Scotts Valley and Santa Cruz this August visiting a friend and helping my daughter move.  Three of the mornings we walked West Cliff for the beautiful views of Santa Cruz.  Some mornings were misty and grey and some sunny and bright.  I want to do a series from my photos of the beauty that is along that coast.  Last weekend I visit the Florida Gulf coast and saw the beauty of those teal waters.  I plan to portray the colors and the feelings of both coast in future paintings.